been relieved . the siege lasted 11 days , during which more than 1 @ , @ 800 shells were fired into the post . after calls to surrender were ignored by the defenders , and not prepared to risk a frontal attack , the boer ##s eventually retired . the siege of el ##ands river was one of the major achievements of the australians during the war , with the post finally relieved on 16 august . in response the british adopted counter @ - @ insurgency tactics , including a sc ##or ##ched earth policy involving the burning of houses and crops , the establishment of concentration camps for boer women and children , and a system of block ##houses and field obstacles to limit boer
been relieved. the siege lasted 11 days, during which more than 1 @, @ 800 shells were fired into the post. after calls to surrender were ignored by the defenders, and not prepared to risk a frontal attack, the boers eventually retired. the siege of elands river was one of the major achievements of the australians during the war, with the post finally relieved on 16 august. in response the british adopted counter @ - @ insurgency tactics, including a scorched earth policy involving the burning of houses and crops, the establishment of concentration camps for boer women and children, and a system of blockhouses and field obstacles to limit boer